Ambrosius Bosschaert was one of the most talented members of a family of Dutch painters who specialized in still lifes of fruit and flowers.  His floral compositions, combining blooms from different seasons, are composed primarily of cultivated species-tulips, roses, lilies-and are painted with near scientific precision.

The Dutch passion for exotic plants culminated in what is known as the "Tulip Mania." Tulips became the object of intense speculation and prices for rare varieties spiraled upwards until the market for them crashed in 1637.